Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which unit is commonly used to measure the length of DNA strands in the cell?
A
Base pairs
B
Nanometers
C
Micrometers
D
Angstroms
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that DNA strands are composed of sequences of nucleotides, and the length of these sequences is often measured in terms of the number of base pairs.
Recognize that base pairs refer to the pairs of nucleotides that form the rungs of the DNA double helix, such as adenine-thymine and cytosine-guanine.
Consider that while base pairs are a common unit for measuring the length of DNA, other units like nanometers, micrometers, and angstroms can be used to measure physical dimensions of DNA.
Recall that nanometers, micrometers, and angstroms are units of length in the metric system, where 1 nanometer = 10-9 meters, 1 micrometer = 10-6 meters, and 1 angstrom = 10-10 meters.
Conclude that for measuring the sequence length of DNA, base pairs are the most relevant unit, while nanometers, micrometers, and angstroms are more relevant for measuring the physical size or dimensions of DNA structures.